"We're all on the spectrum"

[bluetinpinkteapot]

No we're not! We're really, really not.

Please people who don't have autism or don't know anything about autism, please do not say this to people who do have autism or their carers/families.

It is wrong, it is offensive, it does a huge disservice to autistic people.

If you truly think this, do some reading. Or don't if you don't care - but stop saying it!

From one exhausted mother who has just had to have this conversation yet again with I'm someone who I thought was a good friend.

Ha Gancanny my son isn't great at maths or computing. He is a whizz at languages instead.

And can bore for Britain on random topics that are never going to see him scaling dizzy career heights

Sorry Circus, that isn’t the case. Apart from there being a difference between liking your own company and needing your own company.
It would appear that autistic people make brain connections via different routes to allistic people; ergo we cannot all be on the spectrum.

Gilead this a new and developing field of research but the evidence so far shows that most of the genetic markers implicated in ASD are very common in the general population and will also have an effect on non ASD people. There is no clear cut off point as to when a person tips into a diagnosis. A common analogy is that height is genetic, but how do you establish the exact point at which someone is considered tall?

circus whether that research turns out to be correct or not, can't you see that the 'we are all a bit autistic' line is singularly unhelpful to support those who need additional support because of how it affects them?

What use do you think that that particular research will have to my children (or adults) who are very different from their peers? Other than to give people more reason to say that they should not be struggling in the first place?

And my daughter is not only autistic but profoundly dyslexic. She can't write or read what she can comprehend. What does research that says that we all share a genetic makeup do to help a person whose dyslexia affects them in this way? Surely it just gives people the ability to say that it this is attributable to general intelligence and to further widen the gap and to further discriminate against people with disabilities?

When you look into genetics of cause we will all share genes. We do after all all descend from apes.

I am not sure it is helpful to look at genes when one is considering neurotypical differences, this may prove to be wrong.

Circus the point is that this can be upsetting to people who live these differences. Comparing short and tall to autistic and neurotypical is obtuse to say the least.

of course not of cause.

I do not think that identifying the genetic basis for ASD will invalidate your children’s struggle. I’d expect it to be the opposite.

Well how so? You just compared it to short and tall, that completely minimises the struggle!

So basically they are showing that at the moment no genetic pattern for autism can be found.

cant any condition which is heritable, which we know ASD is, has a genetic component. All the implicated genes haven’t been identified yet but they will be one day.

I actually agree that there is a likely a genetic component to ASD but to say it is analagous to short and tall does minimise and is very insensitive on this thread where people have describe in detail their (and/ or their children's difficulties).

One would hope that the people who are carrying out this research will be sensitive to the need to protect the identity and diagnoses autistic people and not to further feed into the idea that autistic people should just learn to fit in because 'after all we are all a bit that way'. That is a very ableist approach to the subject.

Totally agree but I think people don't realise..unless the world of autism has touched your life it's hard to be up to speed with it.

This explains it well...

the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/?fbclid=IwAR2H2vLLArA9e9OZtpsbmj9an1AX8Vph0aVujZuTmbk11PhW57Aku_Psmho

The thread so far, 150 posts of intelligent and interesting content.

Then the goading starts and when the sentence by Circus it’s just a question of how many [genes] that makes the difference as to whether it’s problematic for you or you stay officially on the side of ‘normal doesn't get the desired outraged reaction for using the word 'normal', the genetic links that will be known 'one day' are put forward.
One day mankind could inhabit different planets. One day anything could be possible.

Returning to the present, currently, research will NOT specifically state that ASD is solely a genetic condition. Currently no-one knows. One poster on the SN board had a very traumatic birth and was told by the paediatrician that was the cause of her child's autism. She puts a very strong case for genetics not being involved at all.

To suggest otherwise and to use such provocative language for attention isn't in the spirit of this thread.

The rest of the posters on this thread are living with autism in some way. The least you can do is be respectful.

Fully fully agree and I HATE the phrase 'on the spectrum.' I'm not on the bloody spectrum. I am not someone 'with Autism' either. I'm Autistic Rant over.

annieannietomjoe I think Rebecca Burgess' comic strip is great to help parents of young children and teens.
For those of us who are parents of adults on the spectrum, I find this very erudite.
neuroclastic.com/2019/05/04/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/

Sorry Catwoman1985

If I could edit, I'd change the sentence in my post above to say 'parents of autistic adults'

I’m sorry I did not mean to offend anyone. It’s just a different way of looking at things which can be interesting.

I'm autistic.

People say I must have 'mild autism'.

I say 'yes, except when I have spicy autism'.

They give me a funny look, I'm used to it, funny looks are part of being autistic I guess.

@Pumpkinstace

I'm autistic.

People say I must have 'mild autism'.

I say 'yes, except when I have spicy autism'.

They give me a funny look, I'm used to it, funny looks are part of being autistic I guess.

Ha I like that.

I may suggest that to my daughter to use as a quip as I don't think she really knows how to respond and that's a good one!

Yes totally! It really minimises the difficulties that you and your child goes through.

Blanktimes thank you for saying what I meant more succinctly than I could.

Circus it may be interesting in the abstract but what you are saying 'as fact' has a profound affect on others who have an alternative lived experience. If you didn't intend to be goady then please read the full thread and take those stories on board. They are surely more interesting / and relevant than any theoretical research. If you are of a scientific background then think about what you are trying to prove or demonstrate and how that research might be framed to help those who actually need support and / or who is funding that research and what their motives might be.

In our case, it’s been suggested that our sons autism could’ve been caused by him having meningitis at 8 weeks old. He also has GDD & SPD.
Wonder if any of the research mentioned above could help with my sons complete food refusal and the fact we’re now looking at the very real possibility of him having to be tube fed. No. Didn’t think so.

I think I get your point @Circusoflove and the research is certainly progressing and will hopefully eventually lead to future breakthroughs that improve the lives of people with autism.

Many people involved in ASD research have a personal interest such as having family members being affected like Borat's/Sacha's cousin - Simon Baron-Cohen who had an autistic sister. He taught autistic children at a special school in London before he started his research and eventually became a world leader at Cambridge.

He does have some controversial theories though but I think they're always useful as a starting point and generate debate amongst scientists eager to prove or disprove his theories.

[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/02/simon-baron-cohen-autism-neurodiversity-brains-money]

www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/02/simon-baron-cohen-autism-neurodiversity-brains-money

Sorry did the link wrong.